Residents’ Opinions about the Sustainability of Tourism: Selimiye Village-Turkey

Abstract

Given the importance of resident in ensuring sustainability in tourism destinations, the purpose of the current study is to evaluate the residents’ opinions about the sustainability of tourism in Selimiye Village, where there are intense tourism activities. To this end, the answers to the questions “What are the residents’ opinions about the sustainability of tourism activities in Selimiye Village?” and “Do the residents think that tourism activities in Selimiye Village are sustainable?” were sought in the current study. Located within the borders of Datca-Bozburun Special Protection Area, Selimiye Village is a coastal village in southwest Anatolia. As a result of the developing access to the village on land, the village has experienced a fast growth in the last two decades. In the current study, data were collected through the face-to-face in-depth interview technique using a semi-structured interview form. As a result of the descriptive analysis of the residents’ opinions, it was concluded that unless the necessary precautions are taken, the tourism in Seimiye Village cannot go on in a sustainable manner. Keywords: Sustainable Tourism, Residents, Local People, Selimiye Village, Marmaris, Turkey